A pro-Assad hacktivist group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army has broken into Harvard University's website and defaced its homepage causing concern over cybersecurity for the international community. While conducting cyber investigations, US reporters have discovered that the Syrian army is using "deep packet sniffing" software to hunt down anti-government protesters. Meanwhile, the Turkish government has completely severed its ties with Syria as Russia and China successfully veto a UN movement to increase sanctions against Assad's government. After the fall of Tripoli, the Libyan Civil War seems to be drawing to a close as rebel forces move to capture the last remaining regime city, Muammar Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.

You have been squeezed into an underground prison in the desert with a single window that people in the dank cell fight over during daylight hours. There are about twelve of you sharing the space, sharing the toilet, sharing the window. But sometimes the guards come and drop off or take out one, so the number of your cellmates tends to change frequently. From what you can gather you think you are near the Palmyra ruins perhaps 100 miles east of Damascus. That's just what you hear the other prisoners talking about. But really, their guess is as good as yours.